The Reason Behind the Number 27

By Head Soccer Coach Wes Melton
    In 2008 I deployed with the 927th Sapper CO in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to Afghanistan. A relatively new unit we had to take volunteers from all over the state and even a few from outside of Louisiana in order to be fully manned for our mission. One of the volunteers was Jonnie Stiles from Highland Ranch, Colorado. Jonnie volunteered to serve his country with a group of guys he had never meet and knew nothing about.  He met the Unit in Baton Rouge just a few days prior to us leaving for Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. When we met Stiles we knew instantly that this guy would be a great fit and become family. We learned quickly that Jonnie was a man of his word, dependable, and would lead by example. Upon arriving in country Stiles had become a team leader and was a gunner for the Route Clearance missions. Stiles became the go-to guy for the younger soldiers. They would go to him for guidance, when they needed to be corrected, and even sometimes for a little comfort. On 13 Nov 2008 Stiles was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle outside of Jalalabad Afghanistan. The loss of Stiles had a huge impact on the 927th. We lost a friend, a leader, a brother.
    When we returned home from deployment we all had an empty space in our hearts and will always treasure the short time we had with Jonnie. The way I have chosen to honor and remember Jonnie is by using the number 27. I use the number 27 because of our unit the 927th and in short many times we just say the “27th.”  I coach the Central High boys soccer team and each year we select a senior to wear the number 27. We look for the outstanding student athlete of that class. This may not be the best player but he will always have the qualities that made Jonnie a special guy. We first look for a student that is academically sound, leads from the front, and is a great teammate.  The first recipient of the “27” award was Garrett Miles, class of 2011. The following players were awarded their senior years Juan Rameriz, Class of 2012, Drake Cowart, Class of 2013, Dean Roberts, Class of 2014, and Ross Melton, Class of 2016.